Video

Thurgood Marshall – Mini Biography

Thurgood Marshall was the first African-American to serve on the United States Supreme Court. He was also one of the most effective Civil Rights crusaders of the 20th Century.

Thurgood Marshall – Full Episode

Thurgood Marshall, the crusading attorney and civil rights activist who led the fight against school desegregation, became the first African-American to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Early Life

Growing up in Baltimore, Thurgood Marshall’s father exposed him to law at an early age and his mother encouraged his ambitions.

The Solicitor General

In 1965 President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Thurgood Marshall to the post of Solicitor General, forging a strong relationship between Marshall and the President.

On the Supreme Court

In 1967 Thurgood Marshall began his tenure as the first African American Supreme Court Justice.

Appointed to the Supreme Court

In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court.

Equal Rights Through the Courts

After the Brown vs BOE ruling, the Civil Rights movement emerged as a stronger force with Martin Luther King as an emerging Civil Rights leader. Still, Thurgood Marshall believed that courts held the key to equality.

NAACP Legal Defense Fund

In 1939, Thurgood Marshall was chosen to be the Director of the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund. He worked to show the African American community that the law could work for them, not against them.

Little Rock Nine

As Thurgood Marshall fought for integration, Little Rock Central High School became the center of controversy as nine African American students were barred from entering the school grounds.

Reaction to Brown vs Board of Education

After suffering the loss of his wife, Thurgood Marshall returned to the courts and fought for integration of schools at the local level.

The Brown vs Board of Education Decision

After the Brown vs. Board of Education Decision, Thurgood Marshall became one of America’s leading figures for integration. But in light of this victory, Marshall soon faced personal tragedy.

The Brown vs Board of Education Case

As chief counsel to the NAACP, Thurgood Marshall argued the case that would define his career and legacy–Brown vs Board of Eduction.

The Death of Thurgood Marshall

As Thurgood Marshall’s health began to fail him, he still remained a force on the the Supreme Court. At age 83, he retired from the courts and passed away at the age of 85.

The Legacy of Thurgood Marshall

The life of Thurgood Marshall was one that touched every decade of the 20th century and forever changed the course of equality in the United States of America.

Real History: Thurgood Marshall and the Groveland 4

Lost Thurgood Marshall interview with Mike Wallace

Thurgood Marshall: A Documentary

A short documentary about Thurgood Marshall’s role in the Civil Rights movement. I don’t own any of the music content in this video and I got the information and photos from the sources listed at the end.